A Ukip leadership candidate has apologised for claiming that a "homosexual donkey" tried to rape his horse in response to a question about whether some gay men prefer sex with animals.

John Rees-Evans said the remark, which he made in 2014, was "playful banter" but admitted it was a "mistake" during an appearance on BBC's Daily Politics show.

Mr Rees-Evans also admitted taking a gun into a Bulgarian branch of IKEA, adding: "I had some things I had to get".

The former soldier is one of a number of candidates running for the Ukip leadership, including Suzanne Evans, Paul Nuttall and Raheem Kassam.

It follows the decision by Diane James to step down weeks after being announced as Nigel Farage's successor.

Nigel Farage and Diane JamesCredit:
AFP

Asked by presenter Jo Coburn whether he regretted the remarks Mr Rees-Evans said: "Do you know, Jo, it's really interesting what you're doing because I am trying to tell you my serious vision for Ukip and you keep trivialising it.

"It was a bit of playful banter with a mischievous activist. I would be so appreciative if you could please just understand the concept that I am trying to communicate to your viewers."

Speaking in 2014 the Ukip activist responded to a question about whether some gay men prefer having sex with animals by saying: "Actually, I’ve witnessed that.

"I’ve got a horse and it was there in the field. And a donkey came up … which was male, and I’m afraid tried to rape my horse.”

He added that his horse, a stallion, bit the donkey in defence.

Pushed on whether he would make such remarks again if he were elected to lead the party following the departure of Diane James after just a few weeks in the role, Mr Rees-Evans added: "No, I concede it was a mistake to be playful with an activist in the street.

"The fact is I'm not a politician ... it was an error of judgement ... I'm sorry if I offended anyone by doing that but please can we move on."

During the interview Mr Rees-Evans admitted that Ukip has some problems and vowed to hand power back to activists and concentrate on making the party an anti-establishment group.

He said: "Ukip is a party of fighters and what I am proposing to do is to direct that aggression towards the enemy."

Suzanne Evans is also running for the leadershipCredit:
BBC

He added: "Right now there is really very little reason to join Ukip," as he claimed a lot of voters are sympathetic to the party's aims but do not feel able to vote for it in its current form.

He was also questioned over claims he persuaded a sales assistant in a Bulgarian IKEA store to allow him to carry a handgun in case terrorists took over the building.

Mr Rees-Evans said the report was "exaggerated". He admitted he did have the gun on him when he entered the store because "it wasn't safe to hand it over to store security and I had some things I had to get".